Football | Nigeria

Mikel set to return

John Obi Mikel will return from his three-match ban for Chelsea in the Barclays English Premier Boxing Day fixture against Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The English FA announced on December 7 that Chelsea midfielder, Mikel, had been given a three-match ban and fined £60,000 for "using threatening and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour" in the aftermath of his side's game against Manchester United in October.

The former Lyn Oslo midfielder stormed into the match officials' changing room after the Blues' 2-3 defeat at Stamford Bridge and angrily confronted referee Mark Clattenburg, who he allegedly believed racially abused him.

After sitting out the club’s last three domestic matches, Mikel has now been included in the Chelsea squad for Wednesday’s trip to Norwich by manager, Rafa Benitez.

Mikel’s elder brother, Ebele has now told supersport.com that the midfielder is poised to make a swift return to the first team after serving out his suspension.

“I spoke to him this (Wednesday) morning and he says he is in great shape as he has not missed a single training session. He has also told me that he is likely to start today (Wednesday) against Norwich,” Ebele told supersport.com on Wednesday.